Chinese New Year Celebrations Around the World

The Year of the Pig may begin on February 5, but the parties go on for days. Here's how cities around the globe are celebrating with parades, fireworks, and festivals.

This gallery was originally published in 2016 and has been updated with new information; additional reporting by Caitlin Morton.

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Beijing, China

In China, the New Year is typically a time to return home to smaller villages. But Beijing has more than 20 million residents, plenty of whom stick around for celebrations throughout the city. There will be fairs in Ditan and Longtan parks, blanketing the city spaces with red patterned banners and lanterns. And while most city events celebrate Chinese culture, the Shijingshan Temple Fair (February 5-11) is known for its Western influences, and has European goods for sale and American costumed characters.

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London, U.K.

Claiming to be the biggest Lunar New Year party outside of Asia (it’s a popular boast), the London celebrations are held on a stage in Trafalgar Square (February 10) and at food and craft stalls in Chinatown, not far from Leicester Square. The parade that departs from Trafalgar includes dragon and lion dances, acrobatics, and pyrotechnic displays.

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Hong Kong

Giant fireworks fill the sky above Victoria Harbour during Hong Kong's New Year celebrations, which are so popular that grandstand seats to the parade sell out quickly. Horse races at the Sha Tin Racecourse on the third day of the Lunar New Year (February 7) include special costume dances, and Hong Kong Disneyland features themed menus and gifts like chocolate gold coins, which are distributed at the entrance gate.

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Singapore

Singapore's Chingay Parade (February 15-16) claims to be the largest street show and parade in Asia. Held as part of the city-state's Chinese New Year celebration, its multicolored splendor is large-scale to balance the local ban on fireworks. It incorporates elements from Singapore's other major populations, too, including Malay and Indian performers.

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New York City

Booming fireworks over the Hudson River kick off Manhattan's Lunar New Year party, followed by a short parade through Chinatown on February 17. But out in Queens, a larger parade takes over the neighborhood of Flushing (February 9), where there are even more residents of Chinese descent than in Manhattan's Chinatown, not to mention plenty of restaurants serving traditional cuisine. Music-loving travelers can also catch New Year-themed performances at Lincoln Center (February 6) and Carnegie Hall (February 15).

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Manila, Philippines

The Chinese New Year celebrations in the Philippines (starting February 5) aren't merely for those with Chinese roots—the entire country takes it as a holiday. Because the beginning of Lent falls close to Lunar New Year, a Catholic cardinal in the Manila Archdiocese officially excuses local Catholics from the fasts and abstinence required by Lent (i.e. they get to eat meat). In Manila, the traditional dancing lion and dragon are found in the district of Binondo.

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Taiwan

It may go by the name "Little New Year," but the Lantern Festival that tours annually throughout Taiwan is no small matter, as host cities compete to show off local art and attractions. Held on the first full moon of the new year, the event is a celebration replete with tang yuan (rice flour) dumplings, games, and fireworks. In Pingxi, hundreds of lanterns made of lightweight paper and kerosene balls fly through the sky during its fest (held on February 19 this year), carrying wishes for the coming year to the deities above.

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San Francisco, California

Both the Chinatown in San Francisco and the Chinese New Year festivities held in the city claim to be the biggest in the world outside of Asia. The numbers don't lie: Spectators will find giant markets, martial artists wearing a 288-foot golden dragon costume, and 600,000 firecrackers. The parade—held on February 23 this year—includes bands, floats, and the newly crowned Miss Chinatown U.S.A., who appears with her court.

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Dubai, U.A.E.

The Dragon Marts (Chinese shopping malls in the hot desert of the U.A.E.) house thousands of retailers and serve as Dubai’s unofficial Chinatown, with their Lunar New Year celebrations featuring indoor performances and lantern decorations. Across town at the city’s signature Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel, where most holiday guests hail from China, offerings include themed dinners, fireworks, and a live lion dance performance. At Burj Khalifa, expect a spectacular light and sound shows (February 4-6).

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Sydney, Australia

Sydney's Lunar New Year recognition (February 1-10) nets more than 600,000 visitors for the events, all held during the warm months of the Australian summer. This year's festivities include art exhibits, which have previously showcased paper lanterns shaped like zodiac symbols and the famous terra cotta warriors of China. You can also catch dragon boat races and calligraphy demonstrations, plus east-meets-west performances by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Opera House.

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Las Vegas, Nevada

Sin City’s New Year in the Desert celebration is still fairly new (this marks its eighth anniversary, held February 8-9), but it has quickly grown to multiple venues around town, including city parks and indoor casino malls. Dance, cheer, and martial arts teams put on demonstrations, while models show off Asian style in a fashion show. Special additions this year include a massive display in The Bellagio's atrium, complete with fountains, red lanterns, and a collection of piglet statues.

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Richmond, British Columbia, Canada

Though Vancouver has hosted a sizable Chinese New Year parade for more than 40 years, nearly 60 percent of nearby suburb Richmond is of Asian descent—so its celebrations are even bigger. The Golden Village is the center for live music, fireworks, and multi-course meals, plus costume-heavy lion and dragon dances. To ring in the new year, head to the International Buddhist Temple on the night of February 4 for a traditional flower bazaar, snacks, and a late-night blessing ceremony.